Report: ACC teams might play games in Europe

The Atlantic Coast Conference is considering playing football and basketball games in Europe, reports CBSSports.com.

ACC Commissioner John Swofford says the idea has been raised about sending teams across the pond, but nothing has been finalized yet.

In July, there will be 14 full member institutions and Notre Dame will join as a non-football member. Next July, Maryland will leave for the Big Ten Conference and Louisville will join from the newly formed American Athletic Conference.

“We need to think big. One of the things we brought up to our schools last week was we may play football, we may play basketball in Europe. Across the pond, so to speak," Swafford said. "The NFL is going to London, as is the NBA with some regularity. The Olympics are so successful over there. Basketball is an international sport. Football is not, but there is a growing interest in it in Great Britain."

More from CBSSports.com:

As far as a possible network partnership with ESPN, the ACC's research shows that by 2030, a combined 55 percent of the total U.S. population will be in the South and Northeast. That happens to where the majority of ACC schools will reside by 2014 when Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Notre Dame are fully integrated.

More SI Wire

We've Got Apps Too

Get expert analysis, unrivaled access, and the award-winning storytelling only SI can provide - from Peter King, Tom Verducci, Lee Jenkins, Seth Davis, and more - delivered straight to you, along with up-to-the-minute news and live scores.